Free Civil War and Reconstruction Opportunities for Learning

By Grace Cordial

Created 11/21/2011 - 12:00am

The topic of the Civil War has been all around us since April. Recently there has been a bevy of programs, symposiums, exhibits, etc. all relating to some aspect of the Civil War in this blog. Why? Because even though the Civil War officially ended 146 years ago, it is ever present in the minds of many Americans. Let's suppose, though, that you are of a more academic bent and want to delve deeper than a short lecture, or a quick run-through of an exhibit or display can provide:

Longtime readers know that I often draw from the History Channel Club e-newsletter. Here's an opportunity to audit an Ivy League college course, on the Civil War and Reconstruction era, for free - without having to dress for class:

The online classroom features transcripts of all 27 lectures, the course outline, and a syllabus of recommended readings.

You have several options for downloading the classroom sessions: iTunes, as mp3 files, or as video files for your computer (high or medium bandwidth). You can even "test" yourself by answering the Final Exam[5] questions.